Is the E. Coli outbreak on spinach due to the use of land application of treated municipal wastewater solids?

Question

What a great idea spray crap on food!

http://lancaster.unl.edu/factsheets/014.htm

No, it is not incinerated. Yes, it does have risks.

Answer 1

Actually no. It did have to do with wastewater, but it was a leak. The wastewater leaked into the field, thus contaminating the crop.

Answer 2

I don't know that it has yet been confirmed that this is what happened. I do know that many people in third world countries use human wastes as fertilizer, and this contributes to many of the health problems that, quite literally, plague them.

This suggests that it may not be such a wise idea to allow "undocumented" workers to participate in our country's produce industry, if their agricultural practices will undermine our public health and safety!

Now, having said that, when human wastes are PROPERLY TREATED, they are safe for use as fertilizer. This generally involves either burning them to ash, in which case only the mineral content remains, or sterilization by other means.

I personally know a guy who works in wastewater treatment, and I'm going to ask him about this. I'd suggest that you also ask someone who works in the field and get the straight dope rather than relying on uninformed public opinion.

Answer 3

It was from a leak.

It's safe to use treated sewage as fertilizer. The only way to get E. coli contaminated food like that is from a leak or stupid Mexicans taking a dump in the fields (remember the strawberry incident a few years ago).

Answer 4

I would rather have "crap" or biosolids on my food.
If properly treated, wastewater sludge or biosolids can be a safe and beneficial fertilizer, soil ammendment and soil stabilizer.

It has to go through a treatment process to significantly reduce pathogens; has to meet low metals limitations and nutrient requirements; has to meet vector attraction requirements; has to be monitored, sampled, and tested; has to be land-applied at an agronomic rate; and has to be applied using best management practices.

There are more requirements for wastewater treatment than there are for public drinking water and agricultural practices combined.

Answer 5

According to the media; the bad spinach came from fields in Salinas CA. Guess where a lot of Mexicans work? Maybe it was there way of getting back to us on closing the border.................

Answer 6

No, it's because all the illegals that work in the fields are getting pissed-off at us for trying to send them back to their homeland- so they crap on our food!